How would you describe Sicily in a word?

Magical.

Favourite archaeological sites?

The UNESCO-listed Valley of the Temples at Agrigento should top any visitor's list. Sprawling across 1,300 hectares, with outstandingly preserved Doric temples, this ancient Greek city dates back more than 2,500 years. Equally intriguing and founded in the eighth century BC is the city of Syracuse; at the nearby cave necropolis of Pantalica, you can spot around 5,000 tombs carved out of the rock face.

Are foodies in for a treat?

They most certainly are! Sicilian cuisine reflects all the cultures that have left their stamp on the island, so you might taste Greek, Spanish or Arab flavours as well as traditional Italian staples. Try nibbling arancini, stuffed fried rice balls, and for dessert munch cannoli, 'little tubes' of fried pastry dough filled with deliciously sweet ricotta, or cassatas, liqueur-soaked sponge cakes with yummy layers of ricotta and candied fruit.

Top town or village in Sicily?

Lying halfway between Messina and Catania, Taormina is about as idyllic as it gets. Clinging to the mountainside, the town's pretty medieval buildings and snaking streets tumble down to crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches. You can splash in the sea, shop for unique jewellery, or gaze across to Mt Etna over a plateful of fresh sardines.

Taormina, Sicily

How about city life?

Everyone has wanted a piece of Palermo, from the Greeks and the Romans to the Arabs and the Normans. The result is an exciting hotchpotch of architecture - look out for Moorish domes, the fabulous Norman Palace, beautiful baroque churches and street names that sound distinctly un-Italian. Sicily's second largest city, Catania, lies right beneath Mt Etna; an eruption in 1669 and an earthquake in 1693 both devastated the city but paved the way for the stunning baroque buildings which remain today.

Take me to the beach - but which one?

If you're looking for super-clear, turquoise water and sugar-white sand, Spiaggia dei Conigli on Lampedusa Island is guaranteed to wow you. In late spring, you might spy Caretta sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach.

Best activities for outdoor adventurers?

Go island hopping around the Eolie, Egadi and Pelagie archipelagos and snorkel or dive to view an extraordinary array of marine life. Or grab your hiking boots and trek round crater rims on Mt Etna - the UNESCO-listed volcano is the most active in Europe.

Favourite Sicilian festivals?

Taormina Arte is a cultural extravaganza of music, theatre and film, held in summer in the open-air Taormina Greek Theatre. If you're in Sicily in February, be sure to head to Catania for the Festa di Sant'Agata, a celebration of the city's patron saint, when the entire city packs the streets - the atmosphere is electric.

One secret spot?

Rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, the town of Noto is a baroque beauty, crammed with meticulously restored, honey-coloured churches and palaces. Don't miss it!

Published by Mail Travel, a division of Associated Newspapers Limited, a company registered in England under company number 84121 with a registered office at Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT

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